May 05, 2014

Benghazi: a Republican surrender to Hillary

Politico Magazine's national editor, Michael Hirsh, brands the Republican charge of a Hillary Clinton (or WH) cover-up of Benghazi "a fantastical notion ... in defiance of any application of fact." Nonetheless it is possessed of a certain pragmatic charm, continues Hirsh: "[Republicans] may well be able to successfully if cynically exploit the soft spot in Hillary Clinton's ambitions for the White House: her utter disgust with the Washington political game and the willingness of the media to play along." (This plays on Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman's recent reporting in "What is Hillary Clinton Afraid of?")

The charm therein is indeed pragmatic. The Clinton machine is again gearing up and to Republicans it looks unbeatable, largely because it's unbeatable. Ergo, any flak hurled Hillary's way can at least do them no harm. Ultimately pointless but worth a shot; one never knows, could get lucky--roll-of-the-dice pragmatism.

The flipside of such pragmatism is Republicans' prodigious fantasy (assuming they actually harbor it) of hoping Hillary's "utter disgust with the Washington political game" might void her plans for extending the Clinton Dynasty. Her disgust may be utter, but for Hillary, political ambition is all-consuming. Obama sees political ambition as a means to an end; for Clinton, it is the end.

Still, however disgusting Hillary may find Republicans' debauched obsession with Scandal Invention, the latter is also a splendid concession to Hillary, as well as to the electorate at large. The GOP has got nothing, nothing at all to run against Hillary Clinton. The GOP knows it, in the counterfeit Benghazi Scandal they're advertising it, and that surely makes Hillary's day. Benghazi-cum-"scandal" is a Republican white flag--an unconditional surrender on policy.

Thoughtful Republican pragmatism, as opposed to the charming variety, would entail policy alternatives other than scorched-earth obstructionism and platitudinous tripe. The GOP shows no sign of backing away from either. It's raising the flag of preemptive surrender, only because it doesn't know what else to do. It's got nothing.

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Benghazi: a Republican surrender to Hillary

Politico Magazine's national editor, Michael Hirsh, brands the Republican charge of a Hillary Clinton (or WH) cover-up of Benghazi "a fantastical notion ... in defiance of any application of fact." Nonetheless it is possessed of a certain pragmatic charm, continues Hirsh: "[Republicans] may well be able to successfully if cynically exploit the soft spot in Hillary Clinton's ambitions for the White House: her utter disgust with the Washington political game and the willingness of the media to play along." (This plays on Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman's recent reporting in "What is Hillary Clinton Afraid of?")

The charm therein is indeed pragmatic. The Clinton machine is again gearing up and to Republicans it looks unbeatable, largely because it's unbeatable. Ergo, any flak hurled Hillary's way can at least do them no harm. Ultimately pointless but worth a shot; one never knows, could get lucky--roll-of-the-dice pragmatism.

The flipside of such pragmatism is Republicans' prodigious fantasy (assuming they actually harbor it) of hoping Hillary's "utter disgust with the Washington political game" might void her plans for extending the Clinton Dynasty. Her disgust may be utter, but for Hillary, political ambition is all-consuming. Obama sees political ambition as a means to an end; for Clinton, it is the end.

Still, however disgusting Hillary may find Republicans' debauched obsession with Scandal Invention, the latter is also a splendid concession to Hillary, as well as to the electorate at large. The GOP has got nothing, nothing at all to run against Hillary Clinton. The GOP knows it, in the counterfeit Benghazi Scandal they're advertising it, and that surely makes Hillary's day. Benghazi-cum-"scandal" is a Republican white flag--an unconditional surrender on policy.

Thoughtful Republican pragmatism, as opposed to the charming variety, would entail policy alternatives other than scorched-earth obstructionism and platitudinous tripe. The GOP shows no sign of backing away from either. It's raising the flag of preemptive surrender, only because it doesn't know what else to do. It's got nothing.